Juneau Residents Advocate for Child Care Funding Amid Crisis
JUNEAU — On April 29, 2025, dozens of Juneau residents gathered at the state Capitol steps, urging the Alaska Legislature to allocate at least $14 million in this year’s budget for child care and early education funding. Advocates emphasize that the sector is in crisis, with the House passing a budget including $7.7 million in grants for providers and $6.1 million in subsidies for families, while the Senate’s proposed budget lacks these key funds.
Child care providers in Alaska face challenges such as low wages, long waiting lists, and high tuition costs, leading to the closure of 25% of providers in the last three years, according to advocacy group thread Alaska. For the past two years, lawmakers allocated $7.5 million in subsidies to support providers, but financial constraints have prompted a critical review of spending by legislators.
“We don’t have money,” acknowledged Republican Sen. Cathy Giessel, who supports these subsidies. However, she urged proponents not to lose hope, suggesting that child care funding may still emerge in budget negotiations. After both legislative chambers pass their budget versions, a conference committee will reconcile their differences.
Democratic Rep. Zack Fields stressed the necessity of stable funding, labeling it “indefensible” for legislators to not support child care subsidies this year. The recent closure of Bright Beginnings, once a leading provider in Anchorage, left 125 families without care, heightening concerns about accessibility, with over 23,000 children in Alaska lacking sufficient child care options.
Light shined on the rally as Blue Shibler, from the Southeast Alaska Association for the Education of Young Children, stressed the urgency for reliable funding to avoid further program shutdowns. In 2023, a state task force made 56 recommendations for improving child care, but legal challenges and time constraints loom as lawmakers aim to secure critical funding with less than three weeks remaining in the legislative session.
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